Machine for roasting or drying powdered, granular, or like material



April 14, 1942. Q R BAKER 2,279,362

MACHINE FOR ROASTING OR DRYING POWDERED, GRANULAR, OR LIKE MATERIAL Filed July 11, 1958 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 14, 1942. BAKER l 2,279,362

MACHINE FOR ROASTING OR DRYING POWDERED, GRANULAR, 0R LIKE MATERIAL Filed July 11, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 14, 1942. e; R. BAKER MACHINE FOR ROASTING OR DRYING POWDERED, GRANULA'R, OR LIKE MATERIAL Filed July 11, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 di y r April 14, 1942. B R 2,279,362

MACHINE FOR ROASTING on DRYING POWDERED, GRANULAR,'OR LIKE MATERIAL Filed July 11, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 1942- I G. R. BAKER 2,279,362

MACHINE FOR ROASTING OR DRYING POWDERED, GRANULAR, OR LIKE MATERIAL.

Filed July 11, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 301%," In a t/7%! Patented Apr. 14, 1942 MACHINE FOR ROAS'I'ING R DRYING POW- ,JQERED, GRANULAR, OR. LIKE MATERIAL George Ralph Baker, Peterborough, England, as-

. signor to Baker Perkins Limited, Peterborough,

England In Great Britain July 14, 1937 Application July 11, 1938, Serial No. 218,698

Claims.

This invention relates to machines for roasting or drying powdered or granular material or products in bean or berry form, the invention being particularly suitable for roasting" cocoa beans. For convenience hereinafter the invention will be described in reference to the treatment of cocoa beans.

The invention has more particular reference to rotary machines wherein the beans are conouter pockets and in one preferred form the facets are of ridge or inverted V pattern and adapted to direct the beans so that they are transferred into a pocket opposite or in advance (i. e., in the direction ofrotation of the pocket which they have left). The plates or vanes which form this outer pocket extend inwardly from the inner periphery of the drum between coaxial disc members or partitions. The inner set of pockets A series of laterally adjacent sets of pockets 1 are disposed axially of the drum between the partition discs and it may be convenient to refer to the inner and outer set of pockets between partitions as a group; thus it will be appreciated that there are a series of groups of pockets through which the beans pass on their travel from end to end of the drum.

tinually passed or poured from pocket to pocket 1 Conveniently all the plates or vanes of, each, of 9. series of sets of pockets provided at the in-' group are mounted upon an adjacent partition ner surface of an outer drum and the outer side so that the vanes of a group together with the of an inner coaxial core member. supporting partition therefor form a unit.

An aim of the invention is to provide means In one form the vanes or plates of the outer calculated to increase the output of machines pockets are dispo e at n an le W th n the ra of the above character while ensuring a thorough 4055 to a tangent, while the plates of the inturning of the beans so that all sides or faces are ner. pockets y be but it is Preferred equally exposed to the drying or heating action. that they should be disposed slightly off but A further object of the invention is to provide parallel to the radial position, While the angle improved means for imparting the necessary drybetween two plates or vanes is from about 23 ing or roasting heat to the beans. to 25.

The invention consists in a roasting or drying Hot air from anair heater is induced to travel machine comprising a drum provided with inor pass through the roasting chamber, finding Wardly facing outer pockets and outwardly facits way th h apertures perforations in t ing inner pockets so arranged that during rota- 25 partitions under the influence of circulating tion of the drum the beans pass forwardly from means; for xa ple t a r ay be rced each outer pocket to an, inner pocket from which through the roaster from the discharge of a fan they pass exclusively into the next forward outer or blower or the flow of air may be induced y pocket, coupling the outlet from the roaster to the suc- Defiector means may be associated with the tion of a fan.' In eit er ca e in O d to vi ut r pockets for causing a, progressive o some regenerative effect it is preferred to cool ment of the beans around the drum. the roasted beans after dischar e y passing The invention also consists in a machine oomsome 0! all Of the air through them On its way to prising a drum provided with inwardly facing h f or l w so th he t given. p y th outer pockets and outwarding facing inner beans is imparted to the intake air. pockets adapted so that during rotationof the In vthe accompanying win drum the beans are poured back and forth bei re 1 is an outsi e l v tio tween the outer sets of pockets and the inner, i e 2 s a end elevation o g o right and provided with deflector means upon or assoto left in Figure l, ciated with the outer pockets for guiding the 40 Figure 3 i a pl n v w w the m r v beans from the outer pockets to the inner pockets Fi ur 4 is a ec i n of the feed end of the and/or vice versa. I m ch n The deflector means may comprise facets or gure 5 is a face view of one of the D cket supplementary surfaces supported on the under sections 0 u sor reverse side of plates or vanes forming the In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient mode, a sheet metal or other drum I5 is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis (or an axis which may be slightly tilted or inclined as may be found desirable) the preferred mounting being of the tube mill type having supporting rollers l6 engaging peripheral are formed by radial or offset plates or vanes ex- 5 tracks ll. The drive may be communicated by a pinion i8 meshing with a gear ring I9 on the outside of the drum. The drum is surrounded by a spaced wall 20 forming a jacket filled with the discharge end thereof and flowing back are secured to the drum I! while the remaining discs are supported by the core m'ember with a loose fit in the drum.

This core member 26 forms a conduit for hot air for drying and roasting purposes and sd-' jacent the discharge end ofgthe drum opens into the drum.

At the feed end of the drum, the core member 26 extends through the conical end 22 and the neck 24 and through a discharge box 21 for the circulating; hot air. The core member 26 and neck 24 pass through packings 26 so that they may move relatively to the box 21.

Between adjacent pairs of partitions 26 inwardly and outwardly extending sets of plates or I vanes are mounted for the formation. of the pocket groups. The number of partitions will depend upon the number of groups of pockets required for the machine. Generally speaking machines comprising ten to twenty groups of pockets will be found adequate for most purposes.

' a cylindrical wall 26 which is turned inwardly or provided with an inwardly inclined flange 26 adapted to afford a continuous wide opening through the drum in contact with the beans and out by way of the air discharge box which may be coupled to a suitable outlet conduit. To permit the fiow of the hot air through the drum, the partitions are perforated as will be hereaiter more fully described.

According to this arrangement roasted beans in cooling give up a proportion of their heat to the air used within the drum and consequently some regenerative effect is achieved, however the air receives most of its heat in passing through the air heater 4|.

As an alternative the conveyor or the lap thereof may traverse an air collecting chamber for the supply to the drum, the returnlap of the conveyor passing beneath the air collecting chamber.

The beans may be fed continuously to the charging chamber as by an Archimedes-n screw or the equivalent at a predetermined rate or they may be fed in measured batches by any suitable known means such as a rotary measuring device 42 delivering to a chute 46 and which receives the beans from a hopper 44 to which they are fed by any convenient means.

According to one arrangement of pockets a series of plates are fixed in spaced relationship with one another between and normal to .each

pair of partitions 26. These plates extend inwardly from the inner surface of the drum to form theouter set of pockets and radially outward from the core 26 to form the inner set of around the axis of the drum so that a supply of beans may be fed into the chamber through the opening into the lower part of the chamber.

in the first'of the partitioning discs 26 or end wall of 'the drum at a position to deliver beans into one of the inner sets of pockets of-.the group located between the first and second partitions.

The communication means between the succeeding groups insfter.

The last partition of the series has an aperture into which is fitted a chute 24 which is formed in one or communicates with the final pocket of the outer set of the last group. The chute 24 delivers to the discharging chute 22 which pro-.

jects through a discharge orifice located coaxially in the jacket end wall of the drum whereby the beans may be discharged into a vertical or other chute 25 preferably on to an air pervlous endless conveyor 26 on which the beans are cooled. The conveyor passes over small diameter guide rollers of pockets will be described here-.

' which communicates with an aperture 22 formed pockets.

The pockets between each adiacent pair of partitions form a group and after the beans have passed through the pockets of one group, they are transferred to the next adjacent group.

The plates 46 with the adjacent portions of the partitions 26 and drum form the outer sets of pockets. In the present instance there are fourteen pockets numbered I to l4 which receive n and between pocket I and pocket l4 there is a space or gap 66 into which the beans from the preceding groupof'pockets are delivered to fall into the first of the inner set oi pockets.

The plates 46 forming the outer sets of pockets are disposed so that they lie at an angled about 50 to a tangent to the drum. Each plate may be fiat but it is preferred that it should be angled, for example the inward half 46a of each-plate (or a slightly greater proportion) may be at an angle (say,-for instance, about 8) to the plane of the outer portion of the plate adjacent the drum surface.

Upon this inward portion 46a of each plate, whether it be arrange at an angle to the outer portion 46 or not, and upon the reverse side or the neighbourhood of 60. The facets'4l, 46 ex- 21 positioned so that the laps of the conveyor lie adjacent the opening or mouth of the air collecting hood 26. The hood is coupled to afan 26 by discs 26.

tend between and are normal to the partitioning Looked at in transverse section oi the drum, the facets 41, 46 with the inward portion 46a of pocket plate form a triangle, the apex of.

portion 46a of the pocket plate. The apex of each of these triangles lies on a circle having a radius which is a little longer than half that of the drum and the ridge 49 made by each pair of facets lies between the ends of the pairs of plates which include between them pockets of the inner set as described below.

Thus the facet 48 of one plate 46 and the facet 41 of the adjoining plate 46 form a flared extensionof an outer pocket.

The last pocket It of the outer set has no deflecting facets but is provided with a plate deflector adapted to guide the beans to a transfer chute 52 which guides them sideways through a feed aperture 33 of the adjacent partition 25 into a pocket of the inner set of the next'group of pockets.

In order to prevent any beans being caught or jammed in the locality where the plates 36 adjoin the inner peripheral drum surface the plates may be bent at tdb so that'they each meet the drum surface at a right or other large angle.

The inner sets of pockets are formed by plates 53 extending outwardly from the core member of the drum. There are fourteen plates 53 in a set in the case under consideration forming thirteen pockets numbered 211 to i la of equal size and a transfer feed pocket is of increased or double size. The plates 53 are slightly offset (half an inch or so) and parallel to radii spaced from one another at an angle of about 24 for the pockets 2a to Na while the radii corresponding with pocket in embraces an angle of about 48. The outer ends of the plates (as viewed in transverse section of the drum) terminate on a circle having a radius which is well over half that of the drum and so that their extreme edges lie in the channels or flared extensions defined by the deflector facets 6f, 43 of the outer set of pockets.

Each partition 25 (except the last) has in that part which forms a check to the pockets la a feed aperture 33. The feed apertures of one group of pockets are the discharge apertures of the preceding group of pockets and hence are connected to the discharge plates or chutes 52 of the outlet of the preceding group. In the case of the first group of pockets the feed aperture 33 of the first partition is connected as already mentioned to the chute part 32 of a feed scoop .or bucket in the charging chamber.

The plate 53 between pocket la and pocket I ta of the inner set and the plate 5| associated with pocket M of the outer set of pockets are joined towards their adjacent ends by the chute or discharge plate 52 referred to above for delivery of the beans out of pocket Id of the outer set of one group of pockets into pocket Ia of the inner set of the next group through the feed aperture 33 referred to above. Thus it will be appreciated that the discharge and feed apertures are angularly displaced (in a direction counter to that of rotation of the drum) in each successive partition by about the pitch of the pockets.

For enabling the free passage of air through the drum as already mentioned the partitions 25 are provided with perforations 54, in order however to prevent the air from taking a preferential short cut, the perforations are arranged in zones which may be staggered or out of direct line. According to one form the portions of the partitions forming the'cheeks of alternate pockets in the inner and outer setsmay be provided with are being poured from one pocket to another-so that the air is prevented from passing directly from cheek to cheek.

The various groups may be secured in their correct relative positions to ensure transfer of the beans from group to group by keys or projections on the drum or core engaging grooves in the partitions or by longitudinally extending stay bolts which pass through apertures in the partitions and in the ends of thedrum. The plates forming the pockets and deflecting facets are secured to the partition 25 by welding or other convenient mode.

In operation, as the drum rotates the scoop 3i in the charging chamber raises a charge of'beans and as the scoop approaches the axial plane of the drum starts to empty its contents down its chute 32 into pocket ia of the inner set of the first group. The scoop will be emptied as it passes over the axis of the drum or shortly afterwards. This charge is received by pocket in of the inner set which as the plate 53 between pockets la and 2a approaches the horizontal delivers to pocket 8 of the outer set. In being poured out of inner pocket ia the beans strike against the forward facing facet d3 of the deflector on the plate Q5 of outer pocket I and also fall against the rearward facet M of the deflector on the back of the plate 53 of outer pocket 2 so that the beans are all constrained to be transferred from inner pocket id to outer pocket i, the transfer being complete after the plate above mentioned has passed below the horizontal. The transferred charge remains in outer po ket 1 until the pocket approaches the vertical when it starts to pour its contents into pocket 2a of the inner set, the rearward facet Q7 of the deflector on the plate 55 of outer pocket 2 serving .to guide the beans into inner pocket 2a and prevent them shooting over into pocket 3a of the same set. Inner pocket 2a in turn as it approaches the horizontal starts to transfer the beans back to the outer set of pockets by depositing them in pocket 2 of that set. Pocket 2 of the outer pockets will discharge to pocket 3a of the inner set which will transfer to pocket 3 of the outer set and so on throughout the group. Finally ,the beans arrive in the final pocket it of the outer set of the group which discharges its beans down the plate chute 52 through the outlet aperture into pocket Id of the inner set of the next'group.

. While or shortly after outer pocket i is delivering to inner pocket 2a of the first group as above perforations so that the air has to filter through the beans as they lie in the pockets and as they described, pocket la of that group is again receiving from the feed scoop 3|, and it will continue to receive fresh charges from the scoop at each revolution. Similarly inner pocket Ia of each succeeding group of pockets will at each revolution receive a charge from pocket it of the outer set of pockets of the preceding group, while pocket H of the final group will discharge to the chute 35 at the end of the drum and on to the air pervious cooling conveyor 36.

During the operation air is drawn into the hood 38 by the fan 39 passing over the beans on the conveyor 36 and taking up some of the heat therefrom. The air is forced through the conduit 40 and into the air heater M becoming heated thereby and flowing along the axial core 26 and into the drum. The heated air by the action of the fan is forced through the perforations in the partitions 25 whereby the beans are heated and finally escapes by way of the discharge box 21 to an outlet flue.

Iclaimr' a 1. A roasting'or drying comprising a' rotatabledrum having outwardly facing inner pockets, plates extending inwardly from the periphery of the drum and forming inwardly facing outer. pockets extending around the drum, angulardeflecting means mounted adjacent and enclosing a series of dead spaces, said deflecting means having-theirapices parallel to the p thedrum' and projecting into the inner f. to guide the material being treated from" 'to the outer pockets and from the outer to the contacting the outer pocket forming plates and being directed towards and projecting intoan" terial jacent inner pocket to guide ma treated from the inner to the outer pockets fromtheoutertotheinnerpocketsand cause 3 progressive movement of the thedrum.

"6. A roasting .or dryingmachine a' rotatable drum, a series of spaoediparti dividing the drum axially into a plurality of compartments, concentric series of plates located between thepartitions and forming outwordly facing inner pockets, and inwardly facing outer inner pockets andcause a Progressive movement of the material around the drum.

2. A roasting or drying machine comprising a rotatable drum, plates extending inwardly from the periphery of the drum and forming an outer series of inwardly facing pockets, plates extending outwardly from the centre of the drum and 1 forming an inner series of outwardly facing pockets, angular deflecting plates located to the rear of and contacting with the outer pocket forming plates and forming therewith a series of dead spaces, said deflecting plates having their apices parallel to the axis of the drum and projecting into the innerpockets to guide-material being treategfrom the inner to the outer pockets and from tha;9uter to the inner pockets and cause a.p movement of the material around *thedrum.

pockets, angular deflecting plates contacting the rear'faces of the plates forming the outer pockets the apices of .said. deflecting plates being parallel to the axis of th'e'drum and directed toward and into the inner pockets, said partitions having transfer openings and'tr'ansfe'rchutes co-oper-' ating with said openln fl, the arrangement being such that during rotation of the drum said defleeting plates guide the material being treated from the inner tothe outer pockets and from the outer to the-inner pockets and cause a progressive movement of the 'materia'laround the drum, and that the material from an outer pocket is directed laterally through the transfer opening in a partition and into an inner pocket of th next compartment.

7. A roastingor drying machine c rotatable drum, a series of spaced partitions'di- 3.,A roasting or drying machine comprising a rotatable drum, p tes extending inwardly from the periphery of the drum and inclined forwardly in the direction of rotation, said plates forming an outer series of inwardly facing pockets. plates extending radially outward from the centre ofthe drum and forming an inner series of pockets, deflecting plates of v-shape in .cross section located adjacent and in contact with the rear faces of the outer pocket forming plates, the apex of the Vbeingparalleltptheaxisofthedrumandpro-- jecting into an adjacent inner pocket to guide material being treated from the inner to the outer pockets and from the outer to "the inner pockets and cause a progressive movement of the material around the drum.

4: A roasting or drying machine comprising a rotatable drum, plates extending inwardly from the peripherrsgthe drum and forming an'outer series of inwargfly facing pockets, plates extending outwardly from the centre of the drum and forming an inner series of outwardly facing pockets, deflecting plates ofV-shape in cross section located adjacent and in contact with the rear faces of the outer pocket forming plates at the inner ends thereof the apex of each deflecting viding the drum axially into a plurality of compartments, plates located between the partitions and forming concentric series of inner and outer pockets, the plates forming the inner pockets being radial while the plates forming the outer' the arrangement being such that during rotation of the drum said deflecting plates guide the material being treatedfrom the inner to the outer pockets and from the outer'to the inner pockets andcause a progressive movement of the material around the drum, and that the material from an outer pocket of one compartment is directed laterally through the transfer opening in a partition'and into an the next compartment.

8. A roasting or drying machine comprising inner pocket of a rotatable drum, a hollow core mounted conplate being parallel to the axis of the drum and directed to and projecting into an adjacent inner pocket to guide material being treated from the inner to the outer pockets and from the outer to the inner pockets and cause a progressive movement ofthe material around the drum.

5. A rotating or drying-machine comprising a drum, plates extending inwardly from thejperlpherg of the drum and inclined in the di- 1 rection'of ro tion at about.40-55 to a tangent phery, said plates forming an wardly facing pockets, plates extending radially outward fro e centre of the drum and forming aninner seri of outwardly facing pockets, and deflecting plates of V-shape in cross section located adjacent d in contact with the rear faces of the outer ket forming outer serieslfof' centrically within the drum, an axial series of partitions dividing the drum into a plurality of compartments, said partitions having central apertures through which the hollow core extends.

inner and outer series of plates located in said compartments and extending respectively to the hollow core and drum and forming inner and outer pockets, deflector means of V-shape in cross section located between the inner and outer pockets and contacting with the outer pocket forming plates, the apices of said deflector means projecting into the inner pockets to cause material being treated to flow from the inner to the outer pockets and vice versa and more progressively around the drum,'transfer apertures in said partitions through which the material flows from compartment to compartment, spaced plates at the inner'jends thereo said deflecting 75, zones of perforations in said partitions for th uprising a passage of heating and drying air, and means for supplying the drum with heating and drying air through said hollow core.

9. A roasting or drying machine unit adapted to be inserted within a drum, comprising a partition plate having a central aperture adapted to surround a hollow core, concentric series of plates secured to one side of said partition plate and extending at right angles thereto, said plates comprising an inner set extending to said central aperture and an outer set extending to the periphery of the partition plate, angular deflecting plates contacting with the rear surfaces-of said plates of the outer set and secured to said partition plate and the apices of said deflecting plates being directed toward and extending into the spaces between said plates of the inner set.

10. A roasting or drying machine unit adapted to be inserted within a drum comprising a circular partition plate having a central aperture adapted to surround a hollow core, concentric series of plates secured to one side of said partition plate and extending at right angles thereto, said plates comprising an inner set extending radially from said central aperture, and anouter set extending to the periphery of the partition 10 plate and inclined at about 40-55 to a tangent to said periphery, deflecting plates of V-shape incross section secured to said partition plate and contacting with the rear surfaces of said plates of the outer set and the apices of said deflecting plates extending into adjacent spaces between said plates of the inner set.

, GEORGE RALPH BAKER. 

